Vampire House
by Ghost With A Pen
Summary: Title sums it up.
1. Chapter 1

Elizabeth sat in the window seat reading a book. She was so caught up it in that she didn't notice Ian watching her instead of reading his own book. Theodore did though.

"Nice book you've got there Ian." Theodore had been living here long enough to know that Elizabeth more then likely wouldn't hear him speaking. Ian didn't, he glared at Theodore in an attempt to tell him to shut up. "She can't hear us Ian, she's reading. The only thing that will get her attention now is if we say her name or hit her."

"I'd like to see you try." Elizabeth looked up at them from her book smiling. It wasn't a happy smile. "You forgot that movement often catches my attention Theo, now if you'll excuse me I think I'll read outside where it's quieter." She glared at the men as she gracefully walked past.

"Anthony wants to talk to us later!" He called to her. She made no indication of having heard him but Theodore knew she had. "Well that went well." Next thing Theodore knew a flaming book was hurling toward him. He ducked and shook his head at Ian. "You'll have to do better then that if you want to hurt me Ian." Theodore called as he walked out. He sensed Ian about to spring and mentally slammed the door shut just as Ian sprung. Theodore laughed as he heard the thud from behind him.

"You shouldn't torment the poor boy so much Theo, Elizabeth and I put a lot of effort into fixing it back up and if he burns it down…" Cynthia and Theodore cringed as they imaged Elizabeth's furry. She usually had a very good temper but if pushed the wrong way she was deadly. Theodore had only seen her that way once and nothing had scarred him more in his many years.

"Oh good you two are already in here." Anthony said, "Where's everyone else?"

Ian came stomping down the stairs and dropped angrily onto the couch, glaring at Theodore. "Elizabeth went outside to read and Ethel went shopping. Maribelle is either training or got dragged out with Ethel."

Anthony groaned, "Alright I'll go after Elizabeth, Cynthia why don't you call Ethel and tell her to come home, see if she knows where Maribelle is." Anthony left the house without waiting for an answer, he knew Cynthia would do as he asked without question. He would have called her himself but someone needed to get Elizabeth and he was the only one who knew where she went.

When he got to her regular spot though, she wasn't there. Feeling a little panicked he started searching the clearing. He couldn't smell anything or see any foot prints. She had never come here. He headed back to the house when something dropped on him, knocking him to the ground. Instincts kicked in as he rolled, trying to dislodge the thing on him. It hung on though and he finally took a breath in, it was Elizabeth.

"You know most people just say hello." He said as she pinned him to the ground. When he realised it was her he'd stopped fighting in fear of hurting her.

"You're no fun, you know that. If anyone else attacks you, even play attacks, you give in and have a good fight but with me? No, you just surrender to whatever I do like a man with a gun to his head. Why? Why don't you fight with me too?" She ranted.

He spun around underneath her, almost dislodging her grip but she hung on. He looked her right in the eyes and said, "I don't fight you because you're the healer. What if you were to get hurt? What would happen to everyone else? We need you here, health and happy."

"You've never hurt anyone else when you've fought with them." She glared at him.

He tried to look away from her but he was pinned until she let him go. Little did he know she wasn't moving until he fought his way free, "I don't want to take that chance. We all need you and we can't afford to let you get hurt."

"It's not fair!" She wailed, "I need to learn how to fight! What if someone were to attack me? I'd have no way to protect myself!"

"That's why we're here, you won't have to face that situation."

"Damnit Anthony!" He cringed, she only used full names when she was angry, "You can't just hope everything will work out the way you want them to! A good leader looks at every weakness and fixes it."

She hit a nerve, he glared at her. "Elizabeth, are you questioning my authority?" He spoke slowly.

"Does it need to be questioned?"

They both glared at each other, Elizabeth was the only one in the group who could push Anthony this far without repercussion. "Elizabeth, let me up before I do something I regret."

She studied him for a moment before saying, "Let me fight Tony." She spoke softly, hoping to calm him down.

"Elli," he sighed, "Fine, but you're training with Cynthia first. You're not allowed to train with Ian though, he doesn't have to proper control yet."

Elizabeth squealed in delight, "Thank-you!" She let him go and bolted to the house. He groaned and after a moment to compose himself he followed, muttering about female hormones the whole way.

When Anthony came back inside everyone was sitting around chatting happily. Elizabeth was talking with Cynthia and Maribelle, Ethel was discussing something with Ian and Theodore was focusing on making people do random things around the room. Elizabeth was the first to notice his return and beamed at him.

Anthony couldn't help but chuckle, just two minutes ago she had him pinned to the ground and now she was grinning like a fool. If he'd known she'd be this happy he would have given in years ago.

"Alright, we might have a problem. There have been rumors of vampire hunters being in this state so we need to be careful-"

"You called a meeting just to tell us that?" Maribelle asked, "I thought we might get to kill something or- Wait do we get to kill the hunters?" She was bouncing up and down in her seat.

"Only if they attack us first Maribelle." Elizabeth scolded. Maribelle shot her a glare.

"I called this meeting," Anthony started loudly, "because I want us to seem more human, to fit into their world. It'll give us better protection from the hunters." He looked around before continuing. "I've enrolled us in the local high school."

A chorus of groans echoed around the room. The only people who looked happy were Ethel and Theodore. Anthony made a mental note to speak to Theodore before setting him lose upon a few hundred teenagers.

"Tony," Maribelle groaned, "Why are you putting us through this?"

"I told you, to hide from the vampire hunters. The more involved we are in the community the more human we look. Then even if they do figure it out it'll be harder for them to kill us because we are so deeply rooted."

"Why should we have to get so attached? Why can't we just kill them?" Cynthia asked.

"Because we don't know where they are or who they are."

"So they might not even be within a 100 miles from here and yet you're forcing us to go to school." Ian growled.

"Hey guys it might not be such a bad idea. I haven't been to school since 1870 and I'm sure the changes will be interesting." Elizabeth added.

"They had school back then?" Ian teased.

"Well it was more like home school for me, I did go to an actual school once or twice but I hated it. My parents hired a governess for me instead." Elizabeth smiled lightly at the memories.

"She was a vile woman." Anthony frowned. Elizabeth's smile grew.

"She hated you with a passion. Thought you were the devil's child. Who would have guessed how right she was?" Elizabeth laughed.

"You two knew each other back in 1870?" Ian was stunned.

"Oh, yes. Anthony was the talk of the town. All the women wanted him and all the men hated him. A few friends of mine were planning on asking him to marry them, it was completely scandalous."

"As I recall, you were the only one who held against my charm. Too bad I lost control with you on that walk." Anthony frowned.

Elizabeth waved it off as Theodore said, "Anyways so we're going to school."

More groaning was heard. "Theo, is it possible for you to not ruin at least one moment?" Maribelle complained.

"Yeah, we'd all happily forgotten about the coming torture and you go and bring it up again." Ethel joined in.

"Speaking of which, you guys have to go down to the school and sign up for your courses so have fun with that." Anthony walked out of the room. There was a lot of glaring but everyone complied.

Maribelle and Cynthia raced their bikes down to the school and when they came back Elizabeth was sitting on the porch fiddling with a bunch of flowers. "Hey pixie dust, want to fight?" Maribelle called.

Elizabeth looked up with a menacing grin on her face. "Bring it."

Cynthia followed the two to make sure no one got hurt. Well, badly hurt. The first few tries Elizabeth was pinned within seconds. There were a few snapping noises that Cynthia hoped were twigs but at least Elizabeth had Maribelle pinned. "You're not too bad. I'm amazed you've been around for so long and never learned to fight."

Elizabeth's hold tightened and Maribelle winced, "Tony wouldn't let me." Maribelle suddenly burst from Elizabeth's grip and had her pinned.

"Screw him, you could fight without his permission you know."

Elizabeth lay limp in Maribelle's hold, "He's my oldest friend, my link to the past. Without him I worry that I'd lose myself." Maribelle thought it over and just as she realised her grip slackened Elizabeth broke free and was up a tree. She dropped down onto Maribelle within seconds and growled lightly into her ear. "Does this mean I win?"

"No, if we were really fighting I'd have killed you while I had you pinned. But nice tree trick, I never would have thought of that."

"Alright guys, I've heard way too much snapping for my comfort. Check yourselves over and call it a day alright?" Both girls started to realign fingers when Maribelle winced.

"Eli I think you dislocated my shoulder. I'm going to need your help fixing it."

"Sure," She grabbed Maribelle's arm and shoulder, "this might hurt." Maribelle hissed but stayed still and within seconds it was fixed.

"I missed one hell of a fight didn't I?" Theodore asked.

"Buzz off Dori." Maribelle growled.

"Mary!" Elizabeth scolded, "We were just practicing Theo, now why don't you go to the school or something?"

"Already did. I'm in all construction courses. I figured it be handy to know something about that."

"Wow, you're doing something useful for a change. I wonder what brought that on." Maribelle asked sarcastically.

"Brain tumour." Ian said from a tree above.

Maribelle laughed as Elizabeth asked, "How long have you been up there?"

"Well I was in that tree earlier but the fight seemed interesting so I came closer."

"You got to see the fight?" Theodore asked, "Man I miss everything." He scowled as he walked inside. Just before he closed the door he mentally shook the branch Ian was on. Theodore laughed as he heard Ian cursing him from the ground.

"Are you hurt Ian?" Elizabeth asked.

"No, just a kink in my wrist, it'll work out though." She frowned but respected his wishes.

The rest of the night continued as normal. Elizabeth was reading, Ian was watching, Theodore was pissing everyone off, Ethel and Maribelle were playing cards, Cynthia was exploding them and Anthony was Elizabeth only knows where.

The next morning was chaos. Cynthia and Maribelle were helping each other look as evil as possible, Elizabeth was helping Ethel get ready, Ian was setting Theodore's hair products on fire and Anthony was trying to keep everything under control. Somehow Theodore's bathroom managed to get set on fire which forced Maribelle away from the mirror. But once she put it out some debris got in her hair and it took three people to stop her from going after Ian.

Thanks to Anthony's planning skills he still managed to get everyone to school on time without injury. He only relaxed when he sat down in his first period class, the only class of the day where he was alone. "Hectic morning?" The girl beside him asked.

"You've got no idea." He muttered darkly under his breath. Just then the teacher started class.

**(A/N) Hey guys I just wanted to thank anyone whose stayed reading this far and ask for any possible reveiws. Also Story title suggestions are welcomed.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Anthony hurried to be the first one to the lunch room. He found an empty table in the back and made his way over. As he waited for the rest of the group a girl came over, "Hey there, you must be new. Why don't you come sit with me and my friends?" She had her hand on his shoulder and was standing very close to him. The stench of her perfume nearly had him gagging.

"I'm sorry but he's busy today. Why don't you go back to your friends and never come back. You can save yourself from the embarrassment that's sure to follow." Elizabeth said a little too politely from behind them. Anthony would have normally been upset that he couldn't properly yell at someone but he found Elizabeth amusing.

"Who said I was talking to you Blondie?"

Elizabeth gave a very frightening smile that almost had Anthony shaking, he was grateful it wasn't aimed at him. This time, "I suggest you run now, and run far, though it won't help any it may make you feel a little better."

The girl tried to stalk off but she was moving too quickly, they could both smell her fear. "Damn Elli! I didn't know you had it in you. Although after your fight yesterday I should have known." Ian commented.

Elizabeth blushed, "Hello Ian I didn't see you there. How was your morning?"

"You mean after Maribelle tried to kill me?"

"Get crap in my hair again and it won't be tried." She said as she pulled out a chair. "Why does it smell like whore?"

Ian laughed as Anthony answered, "An unwelcome guest offered me an invite to her table."

"To her pants more like." Maribelle grumbled.

"Mary!" Elizabeth scolded, "What is wrong with you?"

"Why do you have to call me Mary? It sounds so sweet and innocent. While I like to deceive people I don't like the association."

"Here comes Sin." Ian said as he tried to distract everyone.

"See! Even Cynthia has a cool nickname! She gets to be called Sin and I'm called Mary." She said it with disgust. "What vamp-"

Cynthia had covered Maribelle's mouth. "While I appreciate the compliment I don't want to hear that word outside of the house, 'Kay? Good."

"Thank-you, Cynthia." Anthony mumbled.

"Any time, I'd hate to have to move and decorate another house."

"Has anyone seen Ethel or Theodore?" Elizabeth asked.

They looked around but couldn't see either one, "You don't think they're…" Ian trailed off. Everyone cringed and shifted awkwardly. As Cynthia fidgeted she spotted Theodore.

"Oh thank-god I can see Theodore. He's at that table with a bunch of girls." Everyone sighed in relief before Elizabeth asked.

"But where's Ethel?" It was silent for a moment before Anthony took charge.

"We're splitting into pairs. Cynthia, you're with Maribelle, Elizabeth, you'll go with Theodore and Ian's with me." Everyone started to split off but Anthony whispered to Elizabeth, "If he tries anything on you let me know."

She nodded and walked off. "I'd of thought you would want to go with her yourself." Ian said, both men were watching her walk away.

"I do, but that'd leave you with Theodore and I'd like to keep the school from burning down." Ian chuckled as they headed down a hallway no one had gone down yet. They were walking quietly down the hallway, looking and listening for anything that would give them clues as to what happened to Ethel when Anthony's phone went off.

"Hello?"

"Flying eagle this is explosive ice over."

"Maribelle this is a cell phone not a walkie-talkie." Anthony said annoyed.

"Ugh, must you ruin everything? Sin wanted you to know that we called Ethel's cell and got no answer. Either this is the only time it's ever died or it's turned off." They both refused to think of any other option.

"Alright thanks." Just as he closed his phone he heard a scream he instantly recognized. Anthony was off before he even registered how much the sound of her scream terrified him.

He came rushing around the corner and crashed into Elizabeth and Theodore. She was gasping for breath and incredibly pale, more so then normal. "Elli, what's wrong?" Anthony was on his knees in front of her and holding her arms. "Elizabeth, it's me. Calm down and tell me what happened, please." Her obvious anguish had him trembling.

"It's- its Ethel. She's, she cornered a human." Tears were pouring down Elizabeth's face. "It's too- it's too late. He's dead." Anthony stood up and pulled Elizabeth close to him. Just then Ian and the girls came around the corner.

"Maribelle, Ian, get the body away from Ethel and dispose of it. Cynthia, you need to help Ethel, she'll be upset with herself and Theodore you get to mess with the memories of those who come looking." Everyone started to walk off, "And make sure they each get the same memory Theo!"

Anthony looked down at Elizabeth, she was in no state to stay the rest of the day. He pulled her with him and they walked into the office. The secretary instantly had his attention but for once it wasn't because of his looks. His black hair and dark green eyes often made him the target of feminine affections.

"Oh goodness, what happened?"

"A girl made a comment to her about being an orphan. No harm was intended but the memories are still very painful. Could we be excused for the rest of the day? I don't think she's in the right state of mind to continue."

"Of course, I'll clear everything with your teachers you just make sure to help your sister out. I wish my kids were as close as you all are." She sighed wistfully. "I hope you feel better tomorrow sweet heart."

Anthony smiled at the woman and drove Elizabeth home. She'd just cried herself to sleep when his phone rang. "What's going on?"

"The body's gone, you can be sure of that and all the appropriate memories are changed. Theodore, Cynthia and I are going to stay at school but right now Sin is driving Ethel home and will take the car back." Ian reported.

"Good, now we just wait for the investigation. Is the room clean?"

"Squeaky, Ethel didn't spill a drop."

Anthony smiled, "That sounds like her. She won't be happy though."

"Yeah she was pretty mad at herself when she left, cursing under her breath and all that. I don't get why Eli reacted so badly though."

"That's her story to tell." Anthony could hear the bike pulling into the drive way. "They're here I've got to go."

He hung up on Ian and walked down the stairs just as the girls came in. Anthony tossed Cynthia the keys and she left. Ethel swept up the stairs without saying anything.

"Hey Ethel." He heard Elizabeth greet from upstairs. He frowned but hoped they'd be fine together and went to throw out his shirt. Elizabeth had cried all over his shirt so it was now covered in blood. While he was in the kitchen he grabbed two blood bags, Elizabeth would need at least one.

He was lightly drinking out of one bag when he walked into Ethel's room. He tossed the other bag to Elizabeth who began drinking greedily. "Ethel don't look so ashamed," Anthony started, "Every single one of us has done it at least once."

"Except Elli." Ethel sighed, self hatred was all over her face.

"That's not true Ethel." Elizabeth mumbled weakly. "Right after I was changed, before I'd even had any blood, I killed. My family found me. They were hugging me and so happy that they didn't notice any differences. I killed my little brother first, he was ten, the first one to reach me. My parents were next. My Dad realised I was different and tried to shield Mom." She laughed lightly, "He even shot me, but it didn't work. He told her to run and tried to sacrifice himself to save her. He thought he had enough blood to fill me. Then it became a game as I hunted down my mother, I was way too far past bloodthirsty to realise what I was doing."

Anthony flinched at the memory, when he'd finally found Elizabeth she was trying to kill herself. She'd almost succeeded too, it was one of his worst memories. "But that was a very long time ago." He focused on her now, sitting in front of him looking perfectly healthy. Not exactly happy but she was alive, it was much better then the image in his head.

Her wide agonized blue eyes and stained red blonde hair would haunt him until he died. And that was just her expression. He shuddered and started to count bumps on the ceiling. Suddenly a small weight was against his side. "I'm sorry for bringing it up Tony, I'd forgotten your memories of that day."

Anthony nodded, unable to take his eyes off the ceiling but Ethel could see the red forming in the corners of his eyes. "But my point is that everyone makes mistakes Ethel, don't beat yourself up about it. There's nothing you can do now except work harder in the future."

They could hear everyone piling into the house. "Ethel you are so tame!" Maribelle yelled up the stairs, "Not a drop anywhere! If it were me- Hey!" A mini fight could be heard downstairs as Maribelle and Cynthia attacked each other.

Ethel sighed, "Thanks guys." She went downstairs to see Ian and Theodore admiring the cat fight. "Perves." She mumbled as she walked past.

"You'd be watching if it was two guys fighting without shirts on!"

Ethel smiled mischievously, "You don't want to hear the answer to that Ian."

He shuddered as Elizabeth came down the stairs. "Hey Elli how're you doing!"

She looked blankly at him, "Fine." She grabbed two bags of blood and headed back upstairs. Neither her, nor Anthony were seen the rest of the night.

When Maribelle and Cynthia stopped fighting they looked in the fridge. There faces lit up, "We're getting low on blood."

"I think it's time for a run." Cynthia grinned. She ran upstairs to get the kit of needles and baggies. "It's not as good as actually hunting but it's all we're allowed to do." Cynthia stood for a moment, a look of bliss on her face. "God I miss hunting, such good times."

"Yes but this is better then hunting, this requires skill, and Theodore." Maribelle's eyes were sparkling. "Hey! Theo, want to come hunting?"

He was out the door before she'd finished her sentence and soon they were gone. They took the car to carry everything they needed and for a spot for the girls to change. They stopped outside a club on the other side of the state. "Okay here's the game plan. Cynthia will go in and lure some guy out to the car. We'll get a bit of blood, change their memories and kick them out again, got it?"

They all nodded and Maribelle and Cynthia headed inside. They stood at the bar, looking as flirty as possible and waited. Two guys headed their way, each with a cocky grin on his face. _Perfect._

_**(A/N) i'm so happy that people have been reading this but a little feed back would be nice. Feel free to flame or get anything off your chest.**_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

(A/N) Hey guys! Sorry it's been so long, I've been busy lately with school and family. To make it up to you I'll choose as many suggestions as I can and work them into the story somehow.

It was early in the morning when the trio made it home. The girls were slightly drunk, the men they took blood from had alcohol in their system and being vampires only amplified the problem. Theodore had his hands full as he tried to get them both through the door without being groped by one of them, namely Maribelle.

"Theodore," She purred in his ear, "I'll bet it's been a while since you've been with anyone. Especially since you met Elli, but I could definitely- Umph."

Theodore shoved her to the kitchen floor. "For the last time Maribelle I'm not sleeping with you! I don't care how fun you think it'll be, you're drunk. Go to your room, and don't come out until you've calmed down!" He stormed back out to the van to get the blood they gathered.

Maribelle pouted on the floor and Cynthia stumbled over, "Come on sweet pea. We'll put you to bed and –hick- try to sober up some –hick-how." They were dragging each other up the stairs to their rooms, singing loudly about the good ol' days and the drip drops of rain.

Anthony stuck his head up as they past giggling and singing. He shook his head, they'd gone hunting without him and, as usual, weren't careful enough about it. They'd be in various stages of sick later when their bodies started to reject the alcohol.

He turned around, an amused smile playing on his lips as he turned back to listen to Elizabeth read again. It was a hobby of theirs that seemed to calm them both. She lost herself in the characters and plot while he lost himself in the soothing tones of her voice. Only when the house was quiet were they able to read like this though. Usually Ian or Theodore would conveniently walk in on them or the girls would burst out laughing somehow, breaking their concentration.

It was only Ethel who could give peace to the house, she calm demenor seemed to seep into the very foundations of the house when she let it. At the moment though, she was downstairs distracting both Ian and Theodore in a game of cards. Go fish to be exact.

"Do you have a five?" She asked Ian. He threw the card at her and she smiled to herself, if only he realised the downfall of sitting with the window to his back. It wasn't the first time he'd chosen the wrong seat but at least it wasn't poker this time.

"Why are we playing this game?" Theodore asked. Ethel's lip twitched, almost a smile.

"I thought I'd be fun to relive some of Ian's childhood. The only clear memory was of playing go fish, so here we are."

"I have a better game. It's called let's go out back and play tag, a much better childhood game then Go Fish." He eyed his cards disdain. As if they physically offended him by being in his hand.

"You need more then three people to play tag." Ian said it like it was incredibly obvious. "Why don't we call every one down to play?"

"Not Cynthia or Maribelle, they're both drunk and would probably fall into a tree or something. Anthony will be to grumpy to play but Elizabeth might if she's in the right mood." Theodore reasoned.

"If Elizabeth comes Anthony will follow." Ethel pointed out.

"What is with those two?" Ian asked, truly curious, "Sometimes I think they're together and other times…"

"Other times what?" Elizabeth snapped from the top of the stairs. Both men froze, Ethel just waited.

"Other times… it's just seems like your really mad at each other is all." Ian spoke quickly, trying to dig his way out of his whole. If only the poor boy realised that shovels only dig in one direction.

"Just because we get mad you assume we hate each other? And what makes you think we're together? Have you expressly heard it? Has anyone said anything to you? I've known him since I was 17, I'm bound to be close to him. How dare you assume such things!" She stormed through the kitchen and to the back door. When no footsteps followed her she spun around and glared them down. "Are we playing tag or what?" Then she stepped through the door as if nothing had happened.

Anthony was the first to go out, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter. Ian hadn't been around long enough to know that Elizabeth enjoyed messing with people. It was one of her favourite pass times. Eventually everyone was outside, playing a fast and vicious version of tag that left more then one person with a scare. Except Ethel, she moved as quiet as a shadow and jumped out of no where.

She attacked people just to prove she could and to give the person who was it a chance of getting someone else. She was also the first one to realise someone besides themselves was moving through the woods. Game forgotten, she swung through the trees like an acrobat and followed him through the forest. He was watching the others play and pulled a dagger from his belt.

Before anything could happen Ethel launched herself off the branch, aimed at his back. He spun around last second and the dagger bit deeply into her arm. She let out a cry but his sting only enraged her. With a growl she lunged for his throat and groaned as the blood seeped into her mouth.


End file.
